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This is a 10* TOTAL OF WEEK on the OVER Lions/Packers.

We have a big time NFC North battle here in Green Bay on Thursday night, and on the short week, I say it's each team's defense that suffers. 

Both teams are 2-1 SU. Green Bay is 3-0 ATS, while Detroit is 2-1 ATS.

Honestly, it would not be too difficult to write a convincing argument for either of these teams to win this game, and that's why I'm steering clear of a side.

I just expect this one to be decided by the men under center in Jordan Love and Jared Goff.

The Lions are coming off a 20-6 win over the Falcons, while the Packers squeaked out the 18-17 win over the Saints.

Two lower-scoring defensive battles, but I'm definitely anticipating a faster-paced, and ultimatley higher-scoring game here.

All signs point to this one flying OVER the number sooner, rather than later.

(Additional analysis available.)

Good luck, NP

This is a 10* play on the UNDER Eagles/Bucs.

I think the Eagles defense will dominate in this game and shut down Baker Mayfield and company. And the last thing that the home side wants to do is to turn this into a "track meet" with Jalen Hurts and the high-flying Eagles.

The Bucs have played to two straight OVERS, but with a game at division rival New Orleans next weekend, I think the home side is going to get caught "looking ahead" (as outlined in more detail on my picks on the Eagles here in this 3-game Monday night report.) 

I expect each side to try and establish the run throughout on this one and while they've both been involved in several high-scoring games to begin the season, all signs finally point to more of a defensive-battle here on Monday night.

The play is the UNDER.

Good luck, NP

This is a 10* AFC NORTH TOM on the OVER Browns/Steelers.

Both teams struggled to put points on the board in Week 1, and that's helped in pushing this Week 2 total a little lower than it normally would/should be in my opinion.

Cleveland comes in off a 24-3 win at home over Cincinnati. Hard to get a firm readon on the Browns, as the result was so lop-sided an upexpected. Clearly the Bengals have their issues, so I say the book is still out on Cleveland right now. 

Can't deny the defense looked great against Joe Burrow and company, but now on the road facing this determined Steelers team that was humbled 30-7 here at home by San Francisco. The 49ers defense was a strength of the team last year, and it is again this season as well. 

DeShaun Watson finished with 154 yards passing and a TD, along with another rushing TD for Cleveland, and I believe he can build off that performance with an even better one here on the National stage. 

Last year Cleveland was ranked 19th in league in average points allowed per game at 21.2.

The Steelers run defense was terrible last week, as Christian McCaffrey gouged them for 151 yards and a TD. That's not good news facing this run-heavy Browns offense. QB Kenny Pickett had 232 yards passing and a TD. He also had two costly INT's.

Either way, I say this one comfortably eclipses the number down the stretch, with each side improving significantly on the offensive side of the ball here in Week 2.

This number is indeed low, the play is the OVER.

Good luck, NP

This is a 10* AFC EAST TOY on the UNDER Dolphins/Pats.

New England's defense once again looked sharp in last week's 25-20 loss to the Eagles. 

Mac Jones had 315 yards passing, but averaged only 5.5 yards per throw. The defense though I thought looked excellent once again for the Pats.

The Dolphins pulled off the unlikely upset on the road last week, coming from behind to knock off the Chargers 36-34 as 3-point dogs. Now they're favored on the road vs. a division rival.

Next week they're back at home to play Denver.

It's New England with its back against the wall early. The game-plan will remain the same for Jones and company. Long sustained drives on offense, combined with suffocating defensive play.

I say the overall situation definitely points to the UNDER as the correct call as far as the total is concerned in this one.

Good luck, NP

This is a 10* NFC EAST TOY on the UNDER Cowboys/Giants.

It's a big divisional matchup, and neither team will want to start off the year 0-1 to the other. I think we're going to see a very defensive affair on Sunday, rather than a high-scoring "run and gun" shootout. 

I just think that each will be committed to the run throughout, and each will be extremely careful here in not to have any costly turnovers. 

New York doesn't want to get into a shootout with Dak Prescott. I say this game is decided in the trenches and by field position, and because of that, I'm on the UNDER.

Good luck, NP

This is a 10* TOTAL OF WEEK on the UNDER Lions/Chiefs.

I usually take a "contrarian" approach over the first few weeks of the season, and that's what I'm doing here for sure.

The general betting public will be excited and quick to hammer the "over" after both the Lions and Chiefs put together such great offensive campaigns last year, but I think there's enough reason to believe that each offense will need a bit of time to start "firing on all cylinders" again. 

KC has had to replace several key members on offense, and that works in our favor here as well.

While the rest of the World goes one way, I'm going the other.

This number is high, the play is the UNDER.

Good luck, NP

This is a 10* SUPER TOTAL on the UNDER Chiefs/Eagles.

The big game, and each offense will be leaning heavily on its run game to alleviate the pressure off these two dynamic QB's.

Each has been injured over the last month, and they'll be cautious to limit their mistakes.

These are two of the best defenses in the league. I believe the Eagles' pass-rush will slow down Mahomes here.

With each side committed to establishing its run game like I believe, I'm expecting a lower-scoring UNDER in this year's Super Bowl.

Good luck, NP

This is a 10* TOTAL BLOCKBUSTER on the OVER 49ers/Eagles.

These teams are genuinely very evenly matched. And the oddsmakers believe the same thing with the 2.5-point opening spread. 

Both teams possess awesome defenses, but I firmly believe that this NFC Conference Championship will be decided by the two men under center. 

Both Brock Purdy and Jalen Hurts are poised to "steal the show" in this one. One thing that San Francisco hasn't had to do much, is to "play from behind." That could very well be the case today.

And if it's not, it just means that Hurts will be given the green light to open up the offense.

This O/U line is a few points lower than it really could/should be in my opinion.

The play is the OVER.

Good luck, NP

This is an 8* TOTAL on the UNDER Bengals/Bills.

20 days before this game will be played, Damar Hamlin collapsed from a heart attack and the game between the Bengals and the Bills was cancelled.

It's a big game obviously, with a lot on the line. Honestly, it would not be difficult to write a convincing argument for either of these teams to win. It's going to be a competitive battle, but the team that plays the best defensively is going to come out on top.

These offenses are a "wash." These defenses are underrated.

Both teams closed out the regular season with some high-scoring affairs, but I expect this particular game to be won today by field position and in the trenches.

This number is high, the play is the UNDER.

Good luck, NP

This is a 10* BOOKIEKILLER on the OVER Raiders/Chiefs.

As note that Oakland has seen the total go OVER the number in four of five on the road this year, while KC has seen the total eclipse the posted number in three of four against the division. I expect these divisional foes to battle it out and for this one to fly above the number as it comes down the stretch.

- The BookieKiller Crew

This is a 10* the UNDER Chiefs/Broncos.

Both teams clearly struggle with offensive consistency from game to game this year, but each possesses extremely talented defensive units. I think points will definitely be at a premium tonight. And note that KC has seen the total go UNDER in four of its last five on the road, while Denver has seen the total go UNDER in three of its last four following its bye week.

- The BookieKiller Crew

10* BOOKIEKILLER on the OVER Browns/Ravens.

Note that Cleveland has seen the total go OVER the number in five of six against conference opponents this year, while Baltimore has seen the total go OVER in five of its last eight off a win against a division rival. Cleveland has the league’s worst defense, I’m expecting a wide open affair and for this one to sail OVER sooner rather than later.

- The BookieKiller Crew

10* PUNISHER on OVER Falcons/Bucs.

No need to overthink this one. Atlanta is the league’s highest scoring team and the Bucs defense is allowing at least 27 PPG. It’s a big divisional matchup and on the short week, I think it’s going to be the defenses which suffer the most. Look for each team to open up the playbook and for this total to soar OVER as it comes down the stretch. 

- The BookieKiller Crew

8* CODE RED BLOWOUT on the OVER Bears/Packers.

Note that Chicago has seen the total go OVER in 12 of its last 19 on the road, while Green Bay has seen the total go over in six of seven home games where the number was set between 45.5 and 49 points. Play the over.

- The BookieKiller Crew

The Giants are sixth in the league with 400 yards per game of offense. The Vikes have been dominant defensively and poor offensively, but will be forced to match pace. While most will be going one way, we’re going the other as I expect these two teams to open up the playbook and for this total to eclipse the number as it comes down the stretch.

- The BookieKiller Crew

8* TOTAL CODE RED BLOWOUT on the OVER.

Note that Miami has seen the total go OVER in five of its last eigth as an underdog in the 3.5 to 9.5 points range, while Cincinnati has seen the total go OVER in its last three against the AFC East. Play the OVER.

- The BookieKiller Crew

10* TOTAL BOOKIEKILLER on UNDER Falcons/Saints.

Note that Atlanta has seen the total go UNDER the number in 13 of its last 17 on the road, while New Orleans has seen the total dip below the number in seven of its last 12 against the division. This number is just a little bit high.

- The BookieKiller Crew

10* TOTAL CODE RED BLOWOUT on UNDER Texans/Patriots.

This is a “common sense” play. The Texans run game has been a strength offensively, as Brock Osweiler has three TD’s and three INT’s so far. The defense though has been spectacular, already having forced five turnovers through two games. The Pats LaGarrete Blount has also been a force for New England on the ground, and with the QB issues for New England, obviously the home side will be focused on its ground assault as well. All signs point to a “chess match,” rather than a wide open shootout. Play the under.

- The BookieKiller Crew

8* TOTAL PUNISHER on OVER Eagles/Bears.

Both teams will come out fired up here. The Eagles posted 29 points in their 29-10 win over the Browns. Chicago will also be looking to jump-start its offense after falling to the Texans in Week 1. I expect both team’s to open up the playbook offensively and for this total to sneak over the number late.

- The BookieKiller Crew

10* MNF TOTAL OF THE MONTH on the UNDER Rams/49ers.

No need to overthink this one. The Rams averaged only 19.2 PPG last year and start the erratic Case Keenum at QB. The 49ers were even worse with an average of 14.9 PPG and clearly have more questions than answers on the offensive side of the ball. With both offenses concentraing on the run, expect a classic lower-scoring UNDER.

- The BookieKiller Crew

10* TOP TOTAL on OVER Panthers/Broncos.

These are a couple of the league’s best offenses going head to head and when they played last, the total stayed well below the posted number, as Denver would prevail 24-10. Cam Newton though will be out for some revenge today and with many months to prepare for this opening contest, I’m expecting a much more wide open affair than what the oddsmakers are leading us to believe. Note that Carolina has seen the total go over the number in 12 of its last 17 on the road, while Denver has seen the total eclipse the posted number in its last two “Thursday” night games. Play the over.

- The BookieKiller Crew

The Carolina Panthers look for their first championship crown in franchise history. Cam Newton has completed 70 percent of his passes for 496 yards, with three touchdowns and one interception. Greg Olsen and Corey Brown have combined to catch passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns. The rushing attack is gaining 148 yards a game with the bulk f the yards coming from Jonathan Stewart with 189 yards and two touchdowns. They are allowing just 19.5 points and 345 yards a game. Roman Harper, Jared Allen and Thomas Davis are questionable.

The Denver Broncos look for their first Super Bowl title since the 1998 season. Peyton Manning has completed 55.1 percent of his passes for 398 yards, with two touchdowns and zero interceptions. Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas have combined to catch passes for 199 yards. The rushing attach has gained 104 yards a game with C.J. Anderson having picked up 144 yards and one touchdown.  Denver is allowing just 17 points and 366 yards per game. T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart are questionable.

Both teams play great defense. I am looking for a close low scoring game with field position and field goals playing a big role. 

Play on the UNDER. This is a 10* play.

The Arizona Cardinals hope to reach their first Super Bowl since the 2008 season. Carson Palmer completed 61 percent of his passes in the last round for 349 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Larry Fitzgerald and John Brown caught passed for 258 yards and one touchdown. The rushing attack gained just 40 with David Johnson picking up 35 yards on 15 carries. They allowed 20 points and 386 yards to the packers. 

The Carolina Panthers look for their first Super Bowl appearance since the 2003 season. Cam Newton completed 72.7 percent of his passes against Seattle for 161 yards, with one touchdown and zero interceptions.  Greg Olsen and Jerricho Cotchery caught passes forr 99 yards and one touchdown. The ground game  rushed for 144 yards with Jonathan Stewart gaining 106 yards and two touchdowns. They allowed 24 points and 403 yards per game. 

I am looking for a low scoring game that could come down to the last possession.

Play on the Under. This is a 10* play.

The New England Patriots are trying to reach their third Super Bowl appearance since the 2011 season. Tom Brady is completing 66.7 percent of his passes during the playoffs for 302 yards, with two touchdowns and zero interceptions. Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski have combined to catch passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns.  The rushing attack is averaging just 38 yards in the playoffs, with Steven Jackson gaining 16 yards on six carries. Defensively, they have allowed  20 points and 378 yards. 

The Denver Broncos are trying to reach their second Super Bowl in the last three seasons. Peyton Manning completed 56.8 percent of his passes in the playofffs for 222 yards, zero touchdowns and zero interceptions.  Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas  combined to catch passed for 125 yards. The rushing attack gained 109 yards with  C.J. Anderson amassing 72 yards and one touchdown. Defensively, they allowed 16 points and 396 yards per game. 

Both teams should be ale to put up points in this one. This game should easily go over the total

Play on the OVER. This is a 10* play.

The Pittsburgh Steelers look to reach their third conference championship under coach Mike Tomlin. Ben Roethlisberger completed 58.1 percent of his passes for 229 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions in last weeks round 1 win over the Bengals.He is questionable with a shoulder injury. Antonio Brown and Fitzgerald Toussaint combined for 179 receiving yards. The rushing attack gained 167 yards with Jordan Todman gained 65 yards on 11 carries. Pittsburgh allowied 16 points and 279 yards in round 1.  Antonio Brown is out, DeAngelo Williams and Wil Johnson are questionable.

The Denver Broncos look to reach their second conference championship in the last three seasons. Peyton Manning has completed 59.8 percent of his passes this season for 2,249 yards, with nine touchdowns and 17 interceptions.  Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders have combined to catch passes for 2,439 yards and 12 touchdowns. The rushing attack averaged 107.4 yards  with Ronnie Hillman having gained  863 yards and he scored seven touchdowns. They allowed 18.5 points and 283.1 yards a game. Demarcus Ware and Omar Bolden are questionable.

Without knowing o well Pittsburgh's quarterback and the loss of Brown and probably Williams the Steeler's offense is in shambles. I am not 100% on how well Manning will be for the Broncos. Both teams play good defense so  see a low scoring game.

Play on the Under. This is a 10* play.

The Kansas City Chiefs look to reach their first conference championship since 1993. Alex Smith completed 77.3 percent of his passes in the first round of the playoffs for 190 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Travis Kelce and Jeremy Maclin caught passes for  157 yards while Chris Conley caught a touchdown pass. The rushing attack gained 141 with Spencer Ware gaining 67 of them and he scored one touchdown. Defensively, Kansas City allowed zero points and 226 yards per game. 

The New England Patriots look to reach the conference championship for a fifth straight season. Tom Brady completed 64.4 percent of his passes  this season for 4,770 yards,  with 36 touchdowns and seven interceptions.  Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman have combined to catch passes for 1,868 yards and 18 touchdowns.  The running game averaged 87.8 yards with Brandon Bolden gaining 207 yards on 63 carries. Defensively, New England allowed 19.7 points and 339.4 yards per game. 

The Chiefs are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games and 3-7 ATS in their last 10 Saturday games. The Patriots are 4-1-2 ATS in their last 7 home games and 2-5 ATS in their last 7 Saturday games. The under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

New England is well rested and should have some players back for this game. Macklin is a big loss for Kansas City.KC defense pitched a shutout last week but that wont happen against the pats offense. The only question is will KC be able to score to put this game over and i think they will score just enough

Play on the OVER This is a 10* play.

The Seattle Seahawks look to win double-digit games for the fourth straight season. Russell Wilson has completed 68.1 percent of his passes this season for 3,827 yards, with 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse have combined to catch passes for 1,674 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns. The rushing attack has averaged 141.6 yards with Wilson having gained 541 yards and one touchdown.  They have allowed 18.1 points and 295.9 yards per game. 

The Arizona Cardinals have a shot at the top seed in the NFC with a victory here. Carson Palmer has completed 64.5 percent of his passes this season for 4,542 yards, with 34 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Larry Fitzgerald and John Brown have combined to catch passes for 2,118 yards and 15 touchdowns.  The rushing attack has averaged 126 yards with David Johnson having gained 556 yards and eight touchdowns. They have allowed 18.5 points and 319.5 yards per game.

Both teams play outstanding defense. Neither team may score 20 points in this one.

Play on the Under. This is a 10* play.

The Dallas Cowboys are a disappointing 4-11 this season. The offense  is averaging just 16.8 points a game on 323.3 yards per game. Kellen Moore started last week for Dallas and completed 50 percent of his passes with one touchdown and four interceptions. Darren McFadden leads the ground game with 997 yards and three touchdowns. The defense is giving up 22.7 points and 342.2 yards per game. 

The Washington Redskins are 8-7 this season and finished first in the NFC East. The offense is averaging 23.6 points a game on 348.3 yards. Kirk Cousins has completed 69.5 percent of his passes this season with 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Alfred Morris leads grounf game with 651 yards. The is allowing 23.7 points and 371.9 yards.  

Dallas has been awful all year. I think the total is a little low in this one and I like the game to go over.

Play on the OVER> This is a 10* play.

The Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel has completed 61 percent of his passes this season for 1,203 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions Gary Barnidge and Travis Benjamin have combined to catch passes for 1,768 yards and 13 touchdowns.  The Cleveland Browns are averaging 85.9 yards on the ground with Isaiah Crowell gaining 542 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, Cleveland is allowing 27.5 points and 385.2 yards per game.

The Seattle Seahawks going for their fifth straight win. Russell Wilson has completed 68.8 percent of his passes this season for 3,289 yards, with 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett have combined to catch passes for 1,400 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns this season. The Seattle Seahawks are averaging 144.8 yards on the ground with Wilson leading the team in rushing due to injuries. He has 456 yards and one touchdown. Defensively, Seattle is allowing 18.1 points and 307.8 yards per game.

Wilson has been lightening up lately and Manziel has the potential to score some points for both teams in this one. I see a lot of points scored in this one.

Play on the OVER. This is a 10* play.

The Denver Broncos have  lost  two straight games.  Brock Osweiler is completing 58.3 percent of his passes for 146 yards this season, with one touchdown and one interception. Peyton Manning is out with a foot injury. Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders have combined to catch passes for 1,455 yards and five touchdowns.  The  ground game is averaging 86 yards a game with Ronnie Hillman gaining 426 yards and five touchdowns. Defensively, Denver is allowing 18.7 points and 277.3 yards per game.

The Chicago Bears are trying to get to .500.  Jay Cutler has completed  64.2 percent of his passes for 2,045 yards, with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions. Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett have combined to catch passes for 914 yards and five touchdowns. The ground game is averaging 114.6 yards with  Matt Forte gaining 548 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Chicago is allowing 26 points and 335.6 yards per game.

Denver has a top defense that should be able to keep the Bears in check. Denver will struggle to score so i am going with the under.

Play on the under. This is a 10* play.

The New York Giants are 5-4 this season which surprisingly good enough for first place in the NFC East. They are averaging 27.4 points and 349.7 yards per game. The Giants defense is allowing 25.1 points and 422.8 yards per game. 

The New England Patriots are 8-0 and atop the AFC East. They are averaging 34.5 points and 420.2 yards per game. The Patriots defense is allowing 17.9 points and 334 yards per game. 

New York is 2-7 against the spread against a team with a winning record and 4-1 against the spread after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game. New England is 5-1-1 against the spread in their last seven games, 4-1 against the spread following a game that they covered the point spread, and 3-1-1 against the spread against a team with a winning record. The underdog has covered the point spread in the last four meetings of these two teams.

I am looking for a wide open offensive game with plenty of scoring. I think this game should fly over the total and will go over early in the 4th quarter.

Play on the over. This is a 10* play

I see a lot of points in this game. both offenses can score a lot of points. I expect Rodgers to be able to move the ball against the Carolina defense and both teams should put this game over the total early in the second half.

The Baltimore Ravens are a dismal 1-5 to start the season. Quarterback Joe Flacco has completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 1,605 yards this season, with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. Steve Smith and Kamar Aiken have combined to catch passes  775 receiving yards and five touchdowns. The rushing attack is averaging 111.2 yards per contest, with Justin Forsett leading the team with 457 yards and one touchdown. Defensively, Baltimore is allowing 27 points and 380.7 yards per game.

The Arizona Cardinals trying to go to 5-2 on the season with a win. Quarterback Carson Palmer has completed 64.8 percent of his passes for 1,737 yards this season, with 14 touchdowns and five interceptions. Larry Fitzgerald and John Brown have combined to catch passes for 1,080 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. The running game is averaging 121.5 yards a game with Chris Johnson leading the team with 445 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Arizona is allowing 19.2 points and 328.7 yards per game.

I have no faith in the Ravens offense especially against a tough Cardinals defense. The Ravens can play good defense at times and I am looking for a low scoring game especially if the Ravens struggle on offense.

Play on the UNDER. This is a 10* PLAY.

The Houston Texans have gotten off to a dreadful 1-4 start to the year. Quarterback Brian Hoyer has completed 62.1 percent of his passes for 780 yards, with five touchdowns and two interceptions. DeAndre Hopkins and Cecil Shorts III have combined to catch passes for 814 yards and four touchdowns. The rushing attack is averaging 96.2 yards a game,with  Alfred Blue having gained  226 yards and one touchdown. Houston is allowing 27 points and 339.8 yards per game. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars has also started the season 1-4. Quarterback Blake Bortles is completing 57.1 percent of his passes this season, for 1,299 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions.  Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson have combined to catch passes for 832 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. The rushing attack is averaging 94.6 yards a game.  T.J. Yeldon leads the team with 291 yards on 81 carries. Defensively, Jacksonville is allowing 29 points and 363 yards per game. 

I am looking for a low scoring game between these two teams. 

Play on the UNDER. This is a 10* play

The New Orleans Saints have started the season 1-3. Quarterback Drew Brees has completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 969 yards, with four touchdowns and two interceptions. Willie Snead and Brandin Cooks have combined to catch passes for 455 receiving yards and one touchdown. The New rushing attack is averaging just 82.8 yards a game, with Mark Ingram gaining 204 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, New Orleans is allowing 26 points and 381.5 yards per game.

The Philadelphia Eagles need a win after starting the season off 1-3. Quarterback Sam Bradford has completed 60.7 percent of his passes for 948 yards this season, with six touchdowns and four interceptions.  Jordan Matthews and Darren Sproles have combined to catch passes for 399 yards and one touchdown. The rushing attack is averaging just 70 yards a game, and Ryan Mathews leads the team  with 132 yards and one touchdown. Defensively, Philly is allowing 21.5 points and 373.5 yards per game.

Both defenses have been subpar so I am looking for a shootout in this one.

Play on the over. This is a 10* play.

The Buffalo Bills are at .500 at this point in the season.  Quarterback Tyrod Taylor has completed 71.7 percent of his passes for 988 yards this season,  with eight touchdowns and four interceptions.. Charles Clay and Percy Harvin have combined to catch passes for 473 yards and three touchdowns . The Buffalo Bills rushing attack is averaging 128.3 yards a game, with Karlos Williams leading the Bills with 226 yards and three touchdowns. The Bills defense is allowing 23 points and 376.3 yards per game. Karlos Williams, Aaron Williams and Sammy Watkins are questionable.

The Tennessee Titans are a game under 500 this season. Rookie quarterback  Marcus Mariota has completed 62.9 percent of his passes for 833 yards this season, with eight touchdowns and two interceptions.  Kendall Wright and Anthony Fasano have combined  to catch passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns. The rushing attack is averaging 126 yards a game, with Bishop Sankey leading the team with 126 yards and a touchdown. Tennessee is giving up 25.7 points and 308.3 yards per game on defense.

The Bills are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a S.U. loss and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games overall. The Titans are 7-18-2 ATS in their last 27 home games and 6-19-2 ATS in their last 27 games overall.

The Bills could be at a disadvantage with a lack of a running game with their injuries at running back. You have to like a Rex Ryan defense going up against a rookie QB. I look fo these factors to add into the under.

Play on the UNDER. This is a 10* play.

The Philadelphia Eagles under Chip Kelly has totally revamped the Eagles offense. They acquired Sam Bradford at quarterback and DeMarco Murray at running back.  By the looks of preseason Philadelphia is primed to light up the scoreboard this season. Philadelphia Eagles defense ranked  28th in total yards allowed and 22nd in scoring defense last season.

The Atlanta Falcons will start once again, this time with new head coach Dan Quinn. The Falcons have averaged 5 wins over the last two seasons.as they’ve won just 10 games the last two seasons. Offensively, the Falcons do have weapons with quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receivers Julio Jones and Roddy White. They will need to get some yards on the ground from either Devonta Freeman or rookie Tevin Coleman. The Falcons finished 12th last season in scoring offense. Defensively, the Atlanta Falcons finished last season ranked 32nd in total yards allowed and 22nd in scoring defense.

Both teams have suspect defenses and both teams have the potential to score a ton of points. I will be surprised if this game isn’t over by the third quarter.

Play on the over. This is a 10* play. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the worst team in the NFL last season.  The offense was pathetic  averaging 292.3 yards and 17.3 points per game ranking near the bottom in most offensive categories. Tampa Bay will turn to No. 1 draft pick quarterback Jameis Winston to turn the offensive around.  They are also hoping running back  Doug Martin returns to form. Winston has talent at the receiver position to help in the passing game in Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans. The Buccaneers defense allowed 368.9 yards per game that ranked them 25th and they allowed 25.6 points per game. 

The Tennessee Titans are also turning to a rookie quarterback this season in last years Heisman winner Marcos Mariota. He inherits the worst offense in the league. They averaged just 15.9 points and 303.7 yards per game. Bishop Sankey will lead the rushing attack. Kendall Wright leads the receiving core and should get help from  Harry Douglas, Justin Hunter, and Dorial Green-Beckham. The Titans defense was second to last in points allowed last season at 27.4 per game and 27th in yards per game allowed at 373. 

You have two rookie quarterbacks on two bad teams. This could be a high scoring game but I see the opposite. i see two teams that will struggle to score and am playing accordingly.

Play on the Under. This is a 10* play.

The Carolina Panthers have made the playoffs the last two seasons behind quarterback Cam Newton and a stingy defense. Cam Newton will have to find a way to step up without star receiver Kelvin Benjamin. He will have to count on to Ted Ginn Jr., Greg Olsen and Corey Brown to pick up the slack for the passing game. Jonathan Stewart will look to carry the rushing attack. The Panthers defense will have to step again this season. They ranked 10th last season in total yards allowed and 21st in scoring defense. Josh Norman, Ryan Kalil, Charles Tillman and Star Lotulelei are questionable with injuries.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have been terrible over the last three seasons winning just a combined 9 wins. Blake Bortles his second season for the Jags and will need to show that he is a NFL starting quarterback. to do it it this game without t tight end Julius Thomas, who is hurt. He has an array of young talent in Allen Robinson, Marqise Lee and Allen Hurns, but all three must step up. Denard Robinson and rookie T.J. Yeldon will handle the rushing attack. The Jags defense will have to step up for the jags to have any chance this season. They Jaguars were ranked 26th last season in total yards allowed and 26th in scoring defense.  Sen'Derrick Marks and Toby Gerhart are both questionable with injuries.

Both teams have questions on the offense side with injuries and young players needing to step up Carolina has a decent defense and am looking for a low scoring game.

Play on the UNDER. This is a 10* play.

With a win against the Green Bay Packers the Seahawks will get a chance to defend their title. There is no arguing that the Seahawks have been the league's best team in the second half of the season. . Seattle is one of the most balanced and most complete teams in recent memory.  I think their defense is outstanding, but I am one who is not all that impressed with their offense. Lynch is great running the ball and Wilson is good at making something out of nothing, but I don’t see him as an elite quarterback. They will have to have a good game in order to keep the Packers offense off the field.  Richard Sherman will be doing his best to shut down half of the field, but I don’t think the Packers will make the same mistake, as in their first game, and avoid throwing at him.  I the Seahawks will try and get pressure on Rodgers early and make him test his injured calf.

The Green Bay Packers were able to escape the Dallas Cowboys, with a little help from instant replay.  The Packers are stacked offensively led of course by Rodgers, Randall Cobb, Jordy Nelson, and Eddie Lacy but they know they will be going against Seattle’s defense. The Packers will need to do three things in order to have a chance in this game. The will need to get something out of Eddy Lacy. They will need to get the running game going, to take some pressure off of Rodgers and his ailing calf. The second and probably most important is protect Rodgers. Rodgers will need time to get the ball to his big playmakers down the field. Rodgers will need to make sure that he doesn’t have to move too much to protect the calf. Third, Rodgers will need to throw at and test Sherman. Other teams have been able to do it without a quarterback named Rodgers. They can’t deny themselves one side of the field. Their defense will have to step up  to give their offense a chance.

I am playing on the Over in this game. When they met earlier in the season the total hit 47. I think this total goes over that score. I see the Packers and Rodgers moving the ball and scoring in the 20’s. The Packer’s defense has allowed big plays and a lot of points in games during the season. I think one team will get at least 28 points.  If Rodgers gets hurt this game could still go over easily.

Play on the OVER. 

The Seattle Seahawks have won six straight games to close out the year.  The Seahawks defense will look to continue leading the charge, as they’ve allowed a combined 19 points in their last three games.  Offensively, the Seahawks will continue to give Marshawn Lynch the ball. This reliance on the running game, means that Russell Wilson only needs to make a play or two a game.. The Seattle Seahawks have won 10 of their last 11 games SU, which includes the postseason.

The Panthers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 playoff road games and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 playoff games overall. The Seahawks are 36-16-2 ATS in their last 54 home games and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 playoff games. The under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams.

The Panthers will find it difficult to move the chains let alone score against this Seattle defense.  I think Carolina’s defense will rise to the occasion and keep Seattle off the board for a while. I don’t see where Carolina’s offense is going to come from and wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t score more than ten points.  I see both teams using their rushing games which should keep the clock running and speeding up the game. I am looking for a low scoring game and the under to come in.

Play on the under. 

The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers are both assured a playoff spot, but there is still a lot on the line in this game. The winner will not only claim the NFC North title and an all-important first- round bye in the playoffs.

 The last time a Detroit team won in Wisconsin was in 1991‚ as the Lions have lost 23 straight in Wisconsin.

The Packers clinched a spot in the playoffs for the sixth straight season on the backs of their defense‚ which limited Tampa Bay to 109 yards of offense in a 20-3 win over the hapless Buccaneers. Green Bay's tough defense sacked Josh McCown seven times. Offensively the Packers were led by Aaron Rodgers who completed 31 of 40 passes for 318 yards. Nelson caught nine passes for 113 yards and fellow receiver Randall Cobb set career highs with 11 catches and 131 receiving yards. Eddie Lacy ran for 99 yards on 17 carries‚ including a 44-yard touchdown to open the scoring in the first quarter.

Matthew Stafford had a rough game last week as he went just 22-for-39 for 243 yards with a pair of red zone interceptions. Detroit can compete with the Pack when it comes to offensive output.

The Lions have the second-ranked defense in all of football‚ allowing just 295.9 yards per game. The Lions are also second in points allowed giving up just 16.8 per game

The Packers are 7-0 at Lambeau‚ averaging 41.1 points per game‚ and Rodgers has been lights out with a almost video-game-like 132.6 passer rating‚ the highest single-season home passer rating in NFL history.

Before this season Detroit was known primarily as an offensive team but the Lions are just 20th in total offense at 326.7 ypg and Stafford has been below average away from Detroit with a 72.8 road passer rating.

 I love the over in this game. Green Bay has shown they can give up big plats especially when they have a lead. I think Detroit’s defense will struggle in this game and their offense will do enough to put this game over the total

Play on the Over.

When Cincinnati takes on Denver they will be facing a quarterback they have never beaten. The Bengals have never beaten Peyton Manning whether he was in Indianapolis or Denver‚ compiling an 0-8 mark. Cincinnati moved closer to its fourth consecutive postseason berth in Week 15 by beating the Browns  30-0. Jeremy Hill had 148 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries and Giovani Bernard amassed 79 yards on the ground for the Bengals. Andy Dalton completed 14-of-24 passes for 117 yards with one interception.

The strength of the Bengals offense is the running game. The Cincinnati running game has been averaging 145.3 yards per game over its past four games. Denver defense is second in the NFL, allowing only 71.6 yards per game on the ground.

Denver has already made the playoffs by winning the AFC West for a fourth straight year after downing San Diego‚ 22-10‚ in Week 15. Denver will clinch a first round bye with a win over the Bengals. Manning threw for 233 yards with a touchdown‚ but five Connor Barth field goals and a strong defensive effort helped Denver sew up another division crown. Demaryius Thomas caught six passes for 123 yards and a touchdown‚ while C.J. Anderson added 85 rushing yards on a workmanlike 29 carries.

Manning and the Broncos offense have taken a step back from their 2013 performance.  Manning is third in the AFC with 4‚143 passing yards and even better with 37 TD passes (second in the NFL) and a 106.4 passer rating. Denver is fifth in the NFL in both yards at 400.7 yards per game and points per game 29.1.

I like this game to go under the total. In the last four games Denver has relied on their running game to dominate the game. Cincinnati has been a run first offense all season. I see both teams trying to establish the running game and controlling the clock. Also with Manning being a little banged up you could see Denver not wanting to put him in a lot of throwing situations. I think this will be a low scoring affair that will stay under the total.

Play on the under!

The Washington Redskins season has been like a bad soap opera. The Philadelphia Eagles the last couple of weeks as resembled “As the World Turns”.

Philadelphia was on a high after beating rival Dallas on Thanksgiving‚ but then followed that up with a 24-14 loss to Seattle the next week. Then if things couldn’t get worse, the Cowboys came to Philly and walked out with a 38-27 victory and sole possession of first place in the NFC East.

Eagles quarterback Mark Sanchez completed 17-of-28 passes for 252 yards and two interceptions. Sanchez has nine INTs this season to 10 touchdown passes. Eagles running back LeSean McCoy didn't have a healthy line to play behind in the first meeting with the Redskins and recorded 22 yards on 19 carries. He has just two 100-yard games in his last six and posted 64 yards on 16 carries Sunday night.

Washington is last in the NFC East with a 3-11 record and is mired in a six-game losing streak. In Sunday's 24-13 road loss to the Giants‚ Robert Griffin III took over for Colt McCoy (neck) and completed 18-of-27 passes for 236 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. Griffin will be back as the starter as McCoy is out for the season. Griffin did not play in the first meeting with the Eagles‚ a 37-34 setback in Week 3. Kirk Cousins‚ who is now the backup‚ threw for 427 yards‚ three touchdowns and one interception. Pierre Garcon caught 11 passes for 138 yards and a score‚ while former Eagle DeSean Jackson recorded 117 yards and a score on five catches‚ including an 81-yard TD reception in the third quarter. Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin ended with 154 yards and a TD on eight catches. Maclin‚ who owns 10 TDs this season‚ has four 100-yard games in the last five against the 'Skins.

I like the over in this game. The redskins have given up 28 points a game this year and the Eagles should easily eclipse that number.  In the Eagles last six games they have given up 28 points a game. I thing RG III will make some big plays in this game and that will be enough to push the game over the total.

Play on the Over. 

This is not what the NFL wanted when they slated the game between the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars, for Thursday Night Football. Both teams come into the game having only won 2 games apiece. One of the Titans wins came when it beat the Jaguars at home 16-14 in October. Since they last faced each other, they have combined to lose 14 of 16 with Tennessee having lost eight in a row.

Last week the Titans lost to the Jets 16-11. Jake Locker made his first start for the Titans since Week 5 and had to leave the game late in the second quarter with a dislocated left shoulder. The Titans were without starting quarterback Zach Mettenberger, who re-injured his right shoulder the week prior. Charlie Whitehurst replaced Locker against the Jets and was 10-of-24 for 203 yards in his first action since Week 7. The veteran will start again this week and be backed up by the recently signed Jordan Palmer.

Jacksonville lost to the Baltimore ravens 20-12. The Jaguars were left to rely on Josh Scobee and his four field goals to account for their scoring output.  Blake Bortles threw for 210 yards with an interception. He was also sacked eight times by a swarming Baltimore defense that limited Jacksonville to 248 total yards. In their last meeting Bortles threw for a career-high 336 yards and a touchdown. Tennessee sacked him six times and blocked a potential game-winning 55-yard field goal with 12 seconds left.

The Titans lead their all-time series with the Jags by a 22-17 margin‚ including the win earlier this season when Jackie Battle rushed for a TD and kicker Ryan Succop booted three field goals.

Titans head into the final two games with the NFL's 29th ranked offense‚ mustering just 307.9 yards per game and scoring less than 14 points per game during their current skid. Their defense isn’t much better ranking 29th and allowing 378 yards a game.

 The Jags offense ranks a dismal 31st in a 32-team league while averaging under 300 yards at 293.8. Their defense is ranked 28th giving up 372 yards a game.

Neither team looks capable of doing much offensively. I see both offenses struggling to move the ball. The titans can’t run the ball averaging less than 90 yards a game. This will make it even harder on Whitehurst. Bortles is injured and may not be 100% for this game. I don’t see either team getting to 20 points in this game.

Play on the under.

Before the season started both the Bears and the Saints were considered by many Super Bowl contenders.  The Saints still have a chance to make the playoffs, even though they don’t deserve it, and the Bears who have no chance. They both come into the game at 5-8.

The Saints are actually tied atop the division with Atlanta‚ while the Bears season is done as the Bears are in last place in the NFC North.

The Saints lost last week 41-10 to the Carolina Panthers. It was  their fourth straight defeat at the Superdome. Drew Brees was contained for most of the contest‚ throwing for 235 yards and a score to Benjamin Watson. Marques Colston totaled 72 yards on five catches‚ while the rushing tandem of Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas was limited to 81 yards on 15 combined carries.

The Bears did not play well last week in losing 41-28 to the Dallas Cowboys. Matt Forte and Jay Cutler rushed for touchdowns in the fourth quarter‚ cutting a 25-point Dallas lead to 10. But the Bears lost for the second week in a row after falling in Detroit on Thanksgiving. Cutler completed 32 of his 46 throws for 341 yards‚ one pick and touchdown passes to Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett. Brandon Marshall was taken away in an ambulance after suffering broken ribs and a lung injury in the first half He will be lost for the season.

The Bears' defense is allowing an NFL-worst 29.1 points per game and giving up 377.8 ypg‚ tied for 28th in the league. In his past two meetings with the Bears‚ Brees has completed 55-of-72 passes for 558 yards with five TDs for a 121.2 rating.

I am playing on the under in this game.  The loss of Marshall is really going to hurt the Bears ability to move the ball. The Bears have been unable to get Matt Forte going the last couple of weeks so without Forte and Marshall the Bears offense is pretty stagnant. The weather in Chicago may not be good either, which could cause problems for Brees and the Saints passing game. I like this game to go under the total.

Play on the under

The Cowboys are looking for revenge when they take on their rival the Eagles Sunday night.

Dez Bryant caught six passes for 82 yards and Tony Romo passed for 205 yards with three touchdowns. Romo in Dallas’s win over Chicago.‚ who's been bothered by back and rib issues‚ did not throw an interception. NFL leading rusher DeMarco Murray had 179 yards and a touchdown on a season-high 32 carries and also caught nine passes for 49 yards. Murray has rushed for 100-plus yards 11 times this season and is first in the league in rushing yards with 1,606. Murray did have a season-low 73 yards on 20 carries in a 33-10 loss to Philadelphia on Thanksgiving.

 The Cowboys have won three of their last four games and sit tied with the Eagles at 9-4 atop the NFC East standings. In four games against the Eagles‚ Murray has rushed for 278 yards and two touchdowns on 68 touches. He is facing a Philly defense that limited Seattle bruising back Marshawn Lynch to 86 yards on 23 carries.

Philadelphia's offense was shut down completely in their 24-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. They  ran only 45 plays and amassed a season-low 139 yards. LeSean McCoy had 50 yards on 17 carries and a costly fumble to open the second half.  McCoy ran for a season-best 159 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries against the Cowboys on Nov. 27‚ and will be a big factor again this week. Eagles quarterback Mark Sanchez had two touchdown passes and an interception last Sunday‚ and completed 10-of-20 attempts for only 96 yards.

 Philadelphia had won two straight and four of five games before the Seahawks loss. Sunday's loss put the Eagles behind a few tiebreaking scenarios against conference powers Seattle‚ Green Bay‚ Arizona and possibly San Francisco.

Romo is 7-6 as a starter against the Eagles with 3‚024 passing yards‚ 17 TDs and 15 INTs. Dallas had no trouble getting the offense going on the road in Chicago‚ however‚ and has to do it again in enemy territory. The Cowboys have enjoyed success outside of Jerry's world with a 6-0 record.

I am playing on the under in this game. Dallas will try and control the clock with Murray on the ground. Dallas saw how Seattle was able to control the Eagles offense, and while they don’t have the same talent they will be able to implement some of the plan to slow down the Eagles. The Cowboys are pissed off and I see them coming out with a score to settle. This game went way under the number posted for this game and I see it going under again. I see a 37-24 Dallas win.

Play on under

The Arizona Cardinals‚ despite their injuries, are tied for the league's best record at 10-3 and one-game ahead of the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in the ultra-tough NFC West.  A win by the Cardinals, over the Rams, will all but put them in the playoffs.

Last week Drew Stanton tossed a go-ahead 26-yard touchdown pass to Jaron Brown late in the third quarter last weekend and Arizona's defense held off Kansas City from there as the Cardinals edged the Chiefs 17-14. Running back Kerwynn Williams‚ who was brought up from the practice squad, carried the ball 19 times for 100 yards. The Cards and Stanton had lost two of three three prior games since replacing starting QB Carson Palmer. Stanton finished 15-of-30 for 239 yards.

The St. Louis Rams are coming off their second straight shutout‚ a 24-0 win over Washington. Rams quarterback Shaun Hill tossed a pair of touchdown passes to Jared Cook. Hill finished 16-of-22 for 213 yards. Cook hauled in four passes for 61 yards for St. Louis.

Arizona's offense has been struggling since Palmer went down in the first matchup with the Rams and St. Louis possesses the hottest defense in the game. The Cardinals have managed just four offensive touchdowns in four games. The Rams defense has allowed only 34 points while going 3-1.

In the past two weeks the St. Louis defense has allowed just 225 yards per game they have gave up under 60 yards a game on the ground over the past six games. The pass rush‚ fueled by Quinn‚ has found the QB 13 times over the prior two games.

Hill‚ since replacing Davis, has completed 62.0 percent of his passes with six TDs and two INTs. Rookie running back Tre Mason leads all NFC rookies with 628 rushing yards and has 363 scrimmage yards (315 rushing‚ 48 receiving) and four touchdowns (three rushing‚ one receiving) in his past three games at home.

The Cardinals haven’t been able to score and the Rams haven’t allowed a point in two games.  I don’t see this rend changing much in this game. The Cardinals have been carried by their defense and gave gotten by scoring just enough to get the win. I see this game being a low scoring game with neither team getting to twenty points.

Play on the St. Louis Rams.

Both Dallas and Chicago are coming of forgettable Thanksgiving Day games. Dallas suffered an embarrassing 33-10 loss to division rival Philadelphia, While the Bears were humiliated 34-17 by division foe, the Detroit Lions.

Dallas is a game behind the Eagles in the NFC East with just four to play and the Bears are pretty much done in the NFC North at 5-7‚ three games back of the Lions and four behind division-leading Green Bay.

It was not a good day for the Dallas offense. Romo completed 18-of-29 passes for 199 yards and threw two interceptions, and failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time in 38 games. Murray failed to reach the century mark for only the second time in 2014‚ finishing with a season-low 73 yards on 20 carries against the Eagles. Dallas dropped its third straight home game.

Chicago had a two game winning streak snapped as quarterback Jay Cutler was 31-for-48 for 280 yards with a pair of touchdown passes along with two interceptions. Alshon Jeffery had nine catches for 71 yards and two scores.

Cutler plays well against Dallas passing for 552 yards with five touchdowns and a gaudy 138.2 passer rating in his previous two starts against the Cowboys. He is not short of weapons on offense with wideouts Jeffery‚ who has seven touchdown catches this season and Brandon Marshall. Marshall has 22 catches for 432 yards and three touchdowns in four career games against Dallas. Running back Matt Forte has amassed 828 rushing‚ 650 receiving yards, and is the only NFL player with at least 800 rushing yards and 650 receiving yards.

Despite all that talent Chicago is just 21st in the league in scoring‚ averaging only 21.1 points per game.

Dallas has been a much better road team this year. They have scored over 30 points per game and compiled a perfect 5-0 mark so far.

On the road, Romo has been exceptional, passing for 1‚164 yards with 12 touchdowns and a league-best 122.0 passer rating when away. Romo also seems to excel on Thursday going 7-2 record with a 103.1 passer rating. The Cowboys seem to be at their best when Murray is running the ball. He is the NFL’s leading rusher and has at least 100 rushing yards in 10 of 12 games heading into Thursday‚ and has 1‚427 yards this season. In three career Thursday games‚ Murray has 343 scrimmage yards (114.3 per game) and four rushing touchdowns.

Overall the Bears' defense ranks 26th overall. It's ranked 10th against the run but that tells you more about how easy it is to throw on the secondary.

I am playing the under in this game. I think both teams will establish the running game and control the clock. I think both defenses will put up a good effort and at least slow both teams down enough to keep the game under the total.

Play on Under

What a difference a conference makes. Minnesota is 4-7 this season and in last place in the NC North division. Carolina has played slightly wore at 3-7-1 but find themselves just a half a game out of first place in the NFC South.

The Panthers come in to this game off a bye. The rest couldn’t have come at a better time for the Panthers who have lost five straight.

In Minnesota‚ things haven't gone as expected this season. Starting quarterback Matt Cassel broke his foot early in the season. Adrian Peterson their all-pro running back was suspended. They have had to rely on rookies Teddy Bridgewater and Jerick McKinnon.   

.Minnesota comes in ranked 30th overall on offense with only the NFL's two one- win teams‚ Jacksonville and Oakland worse. Bridgewater has completed 158 of 262 passes, for 1689 yards and only 6 TDs. McKinnon has rushed for  538 yards in 113 carries but has yet to rush for a TD. Brandon Jennings leads the team in receiving with 501 yards on 40 receptions and 3 scores. The Vikings biggest problems are with their offensive line. They have been racked by injuries and by subpar play from their starts a year ago.

The will be going up against a defense that ranks 25th in the NFL, giving up274 yards a game.

The Vikings lead their all-time series with Carolina 6-5 but the Panthers have won two of the past three‚ including a 35-10 blowout last season when Newton threw for 242 yards and accounted for four TDs (three passing‚ one rushing).

The Panther’s offense should be helped by the time off, because Cam Newton seemed to be struggling physically before the break. He has passes for 2392 yards and 12 touchdowns. James Stewart has rushed for 323 yards and 2 scores. Rookie wideout Kelvin Benjamin has 52 catches for 768 yards and leads all freshman with eight TD catches.

The Vikings are rank 12 overall but have struggled against big receivers which should give Benjamin a chance to make some big plays.

I like this game to go under the total. Both teams have struggled with their offensive line play this year. I see both teams struggling to move the ball and generate much offense. I think that field position will be very important and see both teams playing a little conservative in this game. I am playing this game under the total. I see this game as a race for 20.

Play on the Under.

When NFC West rivals San Francisco and Seattle square off Thursday night the 49ers will be trying for a sixth consecutive home victory over the Seahawks. The two teams have split the last four division titles, but both are 7-4 and two games behind first-place Arizona. Seattle holds the tiebreaker over Detroit and San Francisco for the final wild-card spot.

San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick tied a club record by throwing a TD pass in his 18th straight game Sunday. Kaepernick hasn't rushed for more than 64 yards in a game this season. Anquan Boldin set season highs with nine receptions and 137 yards against the Redskin

Seattle tightened the race in the NFC west for both itself and San Francisco with their victory over Arizona last weekend. Russell Wilson threw for 211 yards with a touchdown pass to Cooper Helfet and also ran for 73 yards. Running back Marshawn Lynch had just 39 yards on 15 carries against the Cardinals. Steve Hauschka made four field goals in the game. Wilson has thrown five touchdown passes to zero interceptions with a 116.6 passer rating in winning his last two games

The Seahawks bounced back from a road loss to Kansas City and won for the fourth time in five games.

The battle within the battle will be the NFL's top-two ranked defenses squaring off. Seattle is giving up a league-low 296.8 yards per game‚ followed by San Francisco's 300.1 YPG. The Niners also rank second against the pass and the Seahawks are third‚

San Francisco has won five of its past seven in the regular season versus Seattle and is 2-1-1 on Thanksgiving Day‚ while the Seahawks are 1-2 on the holiday.

When two top defenses get together the conventional wisdom is to play the under. I think this game will go over the total. I see both offenses making a big play or two and the defenses making a play for an easy score. I see both teams getting in the 20’s which would easily put this game over the total

Play on the over.

The Detroit Lions will be facing a familiar rival when the take on the Chicago bears in their traditional Thanksgiving day game. The Lions have lost two in a row mainly due to the stagnation of their once potent offense. The Bears on the other hand have won two in a row, albeit over weak competition. The last two times they have played on the road against a team with a winning record, they have came away embarrassed.

The Lions come in at 7-4 but have been held to five field goals while dropping back-to-back road games to division leaders Arizona and New England. The Lions now mow find themselves trailing first-place Green Bay by one game in the NFC North and are also tied with Seattle and San Francisco for the final wild-card spot.

The offense has been hit with injuries to key players. Calvin Johnson, Reggie Bush and Joique Bell have all misses time helping the Lions to rank 28th with 17.9 points per game. That is almost a whole touchdown less than last year.

Matthew Stafford has thrown for 300 yards twice this year, compared to six last season. He is the league’s 26th-rated passer, Sand has thrown six of his 10 interceptions in the last five games. Stafford will try to avoid going a third straight game without a touchdown for the first time in his career. Since Johnson’s return he has caught just 16 passes in three games. Golden Tate has already set career highs with 72 receptions and 1,047 yards. Detroit also ranks 30th in rushing yards per game with 80.8.

Detroit will look to get their offense going against a Chicago team that has given up 106 points in its last two road games against Green Bay and New England. The Bears were able to beat both Minnesota and Tampa Bay by 21-13 scores. Both teams however have a combines six wins.

Jay Cutler and the Bears offense are averaging 6.3 points fewer than last season when they scored an NFC-high 27.8 per game. Lions lead the NFL allowing 17.3 points per contest and are third giving up an average of 303.8 yards. Chicago’s main weapon is running back Matt Forte. He is tied for fourth in the league with 72 catches and third with 1,420 scrimmage yards. He has averaged 95.8 rushing yards and 5.4 per carry in his last five games at Detroit.

I like the Lions offense to get going in this game against a Bears defense that is prone to giving up a lot of points.  The Lions defense has been one of the best in the league but seems to fall asleep at times. They were decimated by Brady and the Patriots. The defense had a 9 minute stretch against the Cardinals in which they gave up two touchdown passes to Drew Stanton. I Like the Lions and Bears to put on a back and forth game on Thursday and the total going over the number.

Play on the Over.

In any other year the Saints year would be considered a disappointment. But thanks to playing in the god awful NFC south division they still have a chance to salvage their season. The Saints were considered Super Bowl contenders when the season started are 4-6 but remarkably find themselves tied for the top of the division going into the weekend. They will face a well-rested Baltimore Ravens team Monday Night.

The Saints, usually unbeatable at home have dropped two straight in the Superdome. They lost their last game to Cincinnati despite Dree Brees completing 33 of 41 passes for 255 yards and a score. Mark Ingram added 67 yards on the ground on 23 carries and caught a game-high seven passes for only 30 yards.

Brees has won nine of his past 10 starts on "Monday Night Football" with a 118.6 passer rating in those contests. New Orleans has been able to establish their running game behind Ingram, who leads the NFL in rushing since Week 8 with 459 yards on the ground.

The Saints are 24th in the NFL against the pass and have only created 10 takeaways‚ the fifth-worst mark in the league. The defense has also allowed nearly 150 yards on the ground over its past three games.

The Baltimore Ravens are 6-4 on the year but have the disadvantage of playing in the AFC North, where they are tied for last with Cleveland. The Ravens are coming off their bye week after halting a two-game skid by coasting past Tennessee‚ 21-7. Justin Forsett rushed for 112 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Titans while Joe Flacco finished 16-of-27 for 169 yards and one TD.

Joe Flacco has won four of his past five starts on MNF.  Forsett leads all NFL backs with 5.4 yards per rush.

The Ravens are 21st in football against the pass and have managed just six picks on the season. They will need to slow down Brees who completes 70 percent of his passes.

Each team has struggled with turnovers‚ though. The Saints are minus-nine on the season and while Baltimore is barely on the plus side of the ledger (plus- one)‚ Flacco has been regressing recently‚ throwing five interceptions in his last four games.

I like this game to go over the total. Breeze should be able to get passing game going against the Ravens porous pass defense. The Saint’s pass defense is not much better and their rush defense has also been poor of late. Both teams have been turnover prone and I see an up and down the field type of game where a turnover or two could lead to easy points.

Play on the OVER

Houston improved to 5-5 on the season by winning for only the second time in six games, with an impressive 23-7 road win over the Cleveland Browns. Ryan Mallett looked good completing 20-of-30 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns in his first start. They now are one game back of the Colts in the AAC South. Alfred Blue contributed a career-best 156 yards on 36 carries‚ while J.J. Watt and Garrett Graham posted a touchdown reception apiece.

Cincinnati bounced back from an awful home loss and won for the third time in four games last Sunday in a 27-10 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Andy Dalton completed 16-of-22 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns. In fact‚ Dalton threw six interceptions and had completed just 52.3 percent of his passes over his previous four games. A.J. Green caught six passes for 127 yards and a touchdown. Rookie Jeremy Hill totaled 152 yards on 27 carries.

Houston has won five straight meetings with the Bengals‚ the last two being wild-card victories after the 2011 and '12 seasons.

Both offenses have struggled at various times throughout the year. The Houston defense has been playing well led by J.J. Watt. I like this game to go under the total. I like the Texans defense to keep Cincinnati’s offense in check. On the other side of the field the Bengals defense has been stepping up and holding their own.

Play the under.

The Kansas City Chiefs have won five straight games and find themselves in a first-place tie in the AFC West. They will look for their sixth win when they face the winless Oakland Raiders.

The Chiefs are 7-3 on the season. Quarterback Alex Smith is 4-0 record and a 10-to-1 touchdown to interception ratio in those games. Jamaal Charles is coming off a terrific performance against Seattle - 159 rushing yards and two touchdowns .In his last game against these Raiders, he became the first player in NFL history to catch four touchdown passes and run for a score in a single game. One of the keys to Kansas City's success has been stopping the pass, as no team in the league has given up fewer yards through the air this season than the Chiefs' average mark of 201.8 yards.

Oakland is winless this season at 0-10 and I don’t see a win coming today. Rookie starting quarterback Derek Carr leads all rookies this season with 2‚075 passing yards and 13 touchdowns‚ both of which are franchise records for a first-year player, Oakland rushing game has been mon- existent as it ranks last in the NFL at 63 yards per game.  Latavius Murray gave the Raiders' rushing attack a spark last Sunday with 43 yards on four carries and could see more playing time Thursday.

Oakland is giving up 129.8 rushing yards per contest, 27th in the NFL, but Charles has been limited to 83 and 3.1 per carry in his last three games at the Coliseum. However, he caught eight passes for a career-high 195 yards and four touchdowns in a 56-31 win at Oakland on December 15th.. The Raiders have allowed 12 sacks, second fewest in the league, but the Chiefs are tied for third with 30 and are paced by Justin Houston, first in the NFL with 12.

I see this game coming down to a battle of defenses as Oakland has played some very good games on that side of the ball. Kansas City will run Charles down the raiser throat and I see this game going under the total. I know the over has been Golden in Prime Time games buy sometime it has to stop and today is the day it does!

Play on Under

The Miami Dolphins and the Buffalo Bills both come into this game with 5-4 records. Both teams are coming off of late game losses last week. The Dolphins lost to the Detroit Lions on a touchdown with 29 seconds left, 20-16. The Buffalo Bills also lost a heartbreaker 17-13 to Kansas City.

Buffalo is looking for a sweep having won at home 29-10.

Perhaps even worse than Miami’s loss to Detroit was that  left tackle Branden Albert will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. This could cause big problems for Miami because Buffalo's defense ranks first in the NFL with 34 sacks. They have three different players with seven sacks, the only team in the league with that distinction.

Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill usually struggles against the bills. He is 1-4 against the Bills in his career.. He has been sacked 18 times in those five games and compiled a dismal 67.0 passer rating. They will need to establish a rushing game, and buffalo could be accommodating.

In their last three games the Bills have allowed 153 yards a game on the ground.

The Dolphins are not too shabby on defense either. They are second in the AFC with 28 sacks.

The Bills are dead last in red zone production in the NFL. Last week inside the 20 the scored 2 field goals.

I know the over has been golden in prime time games but I am going to buck the trend tonight and play the under. Both teams rely on their defense and I don’t see that changing tonight. I see both quarterback struggling against the pass rush of the defenses. Also, Buffalo’s inability in the red zone should save a few points. I am playing the under

Play on the UNDER

I think with the return of Johnson and Bush to the Lions offense, and the emergence of Tate as another legitimate weapon, they will have no problems putting some points on the board against this Miami defense. If Miami can’t establish any resemblance of a rushing attack Tannehill will be forced to rely on the passing game. This could cause two things to happen. First we have a Wild West type of shootout, or second the Lions defense steps up and forces Tannehill into mistakes that lead to easy Lion’s points. Either way I like this game to fly over the total.

The Detroit Lions come into this game with a 6-2 record and with the return of Calvin Johnson the face ever growing expectations. The Miami Dolphins come in at 5-3 and seem to be living up to some of the early season hype they were getting. Both teams are looking for their fourth straight win of the season.

Last week the Dolphins literally crushed the San Diego Chargers by the score of 37-0. Miami had a season high 441 yards in the game and held the Chargers to just 178 yards of offense. The Chargers were ranked seventh in offense coming into the game

Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill is having an excellent season, completing 63 percent of his passes for 1907 yards 14 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Their running attack could be hampered against Detroit’s Defense. Leading rusher Lamar Miller, with 518 yards, is said to have only limited action Sunday due to injury. That leaves Tannehill as the leading rusher on the team with 245 yards. Mike Wallace leads the receiving corps with 35 receptions for 468 yards and five touchdowns.

The Dolphins are averaging 26.4 points a game but since week four they are averaging 30.6.

Miami’s defense has stepped this season also, they lead the in yards per play at 4.68 yards, yards per pass at 5.16 yards and first downs with 143. They rank second in pass defense and third in total defense.

All those ranking could change after this week. The Lions potent offense just got a lot better with the return of Calvin ”Megatron”  Johnson. The loss of Johnson could have been a blessing in disguise as it allowed quarterback Mathew Stafford to work more with Golden Tate who could become a bigger factor in this game and as the season progresses.

The Lions are coming off a bye week after getting by Atlanta in London. They held the Falcons to 80 yards and no points after halftime in coming back to win after being down 21-0.

Matthew Stafford, who threw for 325 yards and two touchdowns in the victory, has developed an dynamic connection with Golden Tate, who has emerged with Johnson out. Tate ranks fifth in the NFL with 55 receptions, fourth with 800 yards and is coming off back-to-back 150-yard performances.

This season Stafford has completed 61%of his passes for 2216 yards 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Joique bell leads the team with 313 yards but the rushing attack should get a boost with the expected return of Reggie Bush. In the absence of Johnson, Tate has proven that he can get the job done and now together they become even more dangerous.

The Lions rank at the top of the NFL in total yards allowed with 290.4 yards and points allowed at 15.8 per game.

Play on the over

Nick Parsons' analysis will be available at least six hours before kickoff!

The Denver Broncos will try to stay on top of the AFC West when they take on the San Diego Chargers Thursday night.

In the last three meetings against these two teams has gone under the total. The Charger’s will try and keep the ball out of Manning’s hands with a ball control offense. In both of last year’s games the Chargers were able to hold the ball on offense for 38 or more minutes. This resulted in the total going under by 10 and 13.5 points.

The Bronco’s and Charger’s come in with defenses that are both ranked in the top ten in overall defense. The Chargers are ranked third giving up only 316 yards a game and their 16.3 points ranks third in the league. The Bronco’s defense ranks 6th while allowing 316 yards a game.

There are a lot of trends that back the under here but for me it is simple. This is a game between two divisional foes both with top five defenses. San Diego will try to control the ball and stay out of a run and gun type of game. I know I am going against a huge trend in NFL Primetime games, as the over has hit in 18 of 22 games. I think the Chargers pass rush will be able to disrupt the Bronco’s passing game and the Charger’s rushing attack will be enough to keep this game under.

Play on the Under!

The Bears look to avoid going 0-3 at Soldier Field for the first time in 10 years Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. Chicago is 3-3 this season, avoided a third straight defeat and improved to 3-1 away from home with a 27-13 win at Atlanta last Sunday. Jay Cutler threw for 381 yards,  Matt Forte recorded 157 total yards and two rushing scores and a banged-up defense held the Falcons to 287 yards and one TD.

The Bears average 26.5 points and have a plus-6 turnover margin on the road, but have totaled 37 points and are a minus-4 in that department in home defeats to Buffalo and Green Bay. They haven't dropped their first three at Soldier Field since 2004.

Cutler has thrown nine touchdowns, two interceptions and has a 104.6 passer rating on the road. But struggles at home with just four touchdowns and a rating of 84.7. He is worse after halftime throwing three interceptions and has a quarterback rating of 58.1 touchdowns

Forte, meanwhile, enters Week 7 leading the NFL in receptions (46) and is seventh in rushing yards (399). He's averaged 164.7 total yards in the last three games.

The Dolphins are 2-3 and rank eighth in the league against the pass allowing an average of 221.6 yards.

Starting running back Knowshon Moreno suffered a season-ending knee injury last Sunday. Moreno, who played in only three games, gained all but 14 of his 148 rushing yards in a season-opening 33-20 win over New England. Lamar Miller, the team leader with 330 rushing yards, is expected to get the bulk of the work.

Miami ranks sixth in the NFL in rushing with 136 yards a game and third in yards per carry at 4.97 but faces a Chicago defense that's allowed 188 and 3.24 per attempt in the last three contests.

Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill is 0-4 in career road games against NFC foes and his 2014 numbers in completion percentage and passer rating) are in the bottom half among the league's starters. "We have every piece we need to put this puzzle together‚" he said. "Now it's a matter of doing it."

Still‚ the Bears have scored eight fewer points at home than on the road‚ and their plus-6 turnover

I think the Bears will be able to move the ball behind Forte and their outside weapons. I feel they will turn things around at home this week against the Dolphins. They Dolphins will be able to get their points in this game against the Bears, so I am playing this game over the total.

The Kirk Cousins experiment hasn’t worked out like a lot of people hoped for. He look brilliant at times and look like a high school quarterback at others. Last week Cousins completed 24-of-38 passes for 354 yards with two touchdowns but threw three late interceptions. He has four career 300-yard passing games‚ including two this season‚ and four multi-touchdown games since taking over for RG3. He also leads the league with eight interceptions.

Washington is last in the NFC East and have lost four in a row. Tennessee was able to halt a four-

The Redskins have struggled running the football this season. They are 23rd with just 99.3 yards per game‚ a far cry from last season. In 2013‚ Alfred Morris and the Redskins were fifth in rushing with 135.2 yards per game. The will hope to get the running game going against a Titan team that allowed an average of 154.3 rushing yards during a four-game skid t

Washington has committed 10 of its 13 giveaways in the last three games, and its minus-9 turnover margin is tied for worst in the league entering Week 7. It would seem to be an easy mistake to make. The Redskins have dropped 13 of 14 and allowed an average of 34.8 points in four games since a 41-10 victory over winless Jacksonville on Sept. 14.

Tennessee recorded 290 total yards, converted three of 11 third downs and needed three Ryan Succop field goals. Sammie Hill blocked Josh Scobee's 55-yard field-goal attempt with 12 seconds left to preserve the victory.

Quarterback Jake Locker ranks near the bottom of the league in completion percentage at 58 and passer rating with 75, 9, while throwing four touchdowns and four interceptions in four games this season. His status for Sunday in uncertain. Backup Charlie Whitehurst has completed 58.3 percent of his passes, but has thrown three TDs and one INT in three contests.

Tennessee has two dangerous pass catchers in tight end Delanie Walker and wide receiver Kendall Wright. Walker leads the team with 29 catches for 421 yards and is tied with Wright with three TD receptions. Wright has 26 catches. They could have big days as the redskins secondary is pretty banged up. They are facing a beat-up secondary and should be in for a good day.  

Washington has been able to move the ball behind the Cousins. The defense has also shown the ability to give up points also. I see this being a high scoring game with The Redskins putting up big numbers and Tennessee scoring big too. I see this game flying over the total.

Two weeks ago Green bay Quarterback Aaron Rodgers told the Packers fans to relax.

Since then the packers have been able to get both the passing and running game going and have one two straight. Last week Rodgers threw for three TDs in a 42-10 victory over Minnesota. He finished with 156 passing yards completing 12 of 17 passes. There were also able to get their running game up to speed with Eddie Lacy getting a season-high 105 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries for the Packers. The improvement of the running game allows wide receiver more freedom to work and get deep into the secondary.

Dolphin’s quarterback Ryan Tannehill status as team starter has been questioned. He 14 straight passes against Oakland at one point. He finished the game connecting on 23 of 31 passes for 278 yards two touchdowns and one interception. Lamar Miller ran for 64 yards with two touchdowns. They will also be getting back Knowshon Moreno to help the rushing attack. They could be looking for a big game as the Packers are the league’s worst at stopping the run‚ allowing 163.0 yards a game.

I see Rodgers and lacy having a big game and this being a high scoring game. I like the Packers to score at least 28 points and I see the Dolphins being able to put up enough points to make this game go over the total.

Play on the Over.

The Indianapolis Colts started out the season losing their first two games. Unlike some people who were talking their demise, I knew they were two good to let it down slide to continue. They proved me right so far, winning their next three games.

I see them stretching it to for straight wins when the face a Houston team they have dominated. In the past. The Colts have won three consecutive games in the rivalry and compiled a 20-4 overall record against Houston. They also seemed to excel in short weeks winning nine straight when playing on Thursday. They are 11-1-1 overall playing on Thursday.

The Colts have outscored their last three opponents 105-47.  The Colts offense is second overall in the NFL with 439.6  yards a game and tops in passing offense (321.8 YPG). Luck leads the NFL with 1‚617 passing yards and 14 touchdowns.

 The Colts defense has shown an improvement as the year has gone on. They had allowed 409.5 yards per game in the first two games of the season‚ but have reduced that two 297.3 per game since. The unit mustered just one sack and one turnover in the first two and had generated 11 sacks and nine takeaways during its three-game run.

The Texans started the season 2-0 but have dropped two of their last three. Their last loss came last week in overtime to their rivals the Dallas Cowboys

The Texans defense allows 385 yards in offense and 250 plus through the air.

Indianapolis has never lost on NFL Network's "Thursday Night Football‚" posting a 7-0 record dating back to 2007 with six of those seven wins coming on the road and I see that streak continuing tonight. Luck will be able to pass on the Texans and see another high scoring prime time game

Play on the Over

I think the total in this game has everybody. The stats and trends show this game as an under, but as it has often been quoted “There are lies, dam lies and statistics”. In this game I think the statistics lie. I know there is talk that Calvin Johnson might not play, but the Lions still have the offensive weapons to explode. Golden Tate, Reggie Bush and rookie tight end Ebron are capable of making big plays if Johnson is absent.  I know Buffalo comes in with the 27th ranked offense, but a new starting quarterback could give them a needed shot in the arm. It’s not like the buffalo offense is bereft of weapons. CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson give them a good 1-2 punch in the backfield and rookie wide receiver Sammie Watkins has shown that he is capable of making big plays.  I think Buffalo will be able to score some points on the Lions defense and this will easily put the total over.

Nick “The Bookie Killer” Parsons

Either both teams’ offenses are going to break out and have an offensive explosion or if they stay to form, the English will feel right at home at a soccer match

The Dolphins offense had been lackluster and the Raiders offense has been offensive. The Raiders hope to avoid going 0-4 and their 10th straight defeat.

Miami’s quarterback, at least for now, Ryan Tannehill is last among starters with 5.03 yards per attempt. He 74.1 quarterback rating is one of the lowest in the league. That goes along with his low completion percentage of 56.5. He hasn’t had a 250 yards game and only one pass completion over 25 yards.

The Dolphins have scored 25 points and two touchdowns since their opening weak 33-20 win over New England.

Oakland is averaging a league-low 12.3 points and 254.3 yards with Derek Carr at quarterback. The rookie has only a slightly better passer rating than Tannehill at 74.9 and is also just ahead of him in yards per attempt at 5.44.

The Raiders, looked a lot better last week, even though they lost 16-9 at New England. The Raiders yielded 76 rushing yards after allowing a combined 400 in losses to the New York Jets and Houston, but the team gained 67 on the ground and has totaled 193, just ahead of Chicago's league-low 192.

I don’t see either of these two teams changing their ways quickly. If either team is too break out I would think it would be the Raiders, as the Raiders’ defense looked good against New England. I look for a very low scoring game and it going under the total.

Play on the Under.

This is a battle of two teams trying to find their offense and their defenses. Both teams have struggles to run the ball and both teams have allowed a lot of yards on defense. Both teams will look to get their anemic running games going against defenses that are prone to the run. Green bay allows 156 yards on the ground and 355 yards in total offense. The Bears allow 378 yards of total offense, with 145 of that coming on the ground.

The Bears will be going for their third straight victory and first at home, when they take on their arch rivals the Green Bay Packers. The Bears haven't opened with back-to-back home defeats since a 0-3 start in 2004. Their last set of consecutive losses at Soldier Field came at the end of 2012. The Packers come in at 1-2 and didn’t look very good in a 19-7 loss to the Detroit Lions last week.

The Packers hope to get Rodgers and the offense back on track when they face a Bear’s defense that has a ton of injuries.  Rodgers has averaged 282.0 yards while totaling 14 TDs and four interceptions in his last five full games against Chicago. Last year. Lacy had 216 yards in last season's two matchups, including 150 in the loss.

Matt Forte topped 100 yards in both meetings last season, totaling 235, and added nine catches for 101 yards. The Bears have lost seven of eight to the Packers. Rodgers is 10-2 against the Bears‚ winning seven straight when he starts and finishes‚ including a Week 17 win over Chicago last season which sent the Pack to the postseason and the Bears into hibernation.

These two teams play very entertaining games that are often high scoring. I think that the Packers offense gets healthy and back on track against the Bears injured defense. I see lacy going over 100 yards on the ground, giving Rodgers the opportunity to get going passing the ball. The Bears will have chance to score against a Packers defense that has been suspect.  I see both teams scoring a lot in this game and it coming down to the last possession.

Play on the Over

 I am playing on the OVER

Cam Newton is back for Carolina, but I am not sure that it is a god thing. His replacement looked awesome in his start last week. Derek Anderson completed 24-of-34 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns.  In Newton’s career game against the Lions, he threw  four interceptions in a 49-35 loss Nov. 20, 2011.

The Panthers defense were able to force three takeaways and will need to do the same this week against Detroit.

Detroit looked get on D against the Giants, but again, it was the Giants. In the Lions 35-14 home win, they limited the Giants to just 197 yards of total offense. They also had a plus 2 turnover margin.

Matthew Stafford and top target Calvin Johnson were in sync as Stafford hit Johnson for two scores in the first quarter. Johnson had seven catches for 164 yards in the game. Stafford went 22 of 32 for 346 yards and two TDs. The team will need to improve their running game against the Panthers to keep pressure off of Stafford.

Detroit will score and that is a given. The main question is what D shows up for Detroit and how effective will Newton be. Their last game was a shootout and I don’t see that changing this week. The defensive secondary of the Lions has always been suspect and they lost another member of the secondary last week. Expect Detroit to attack Carolina's secondary early and often to put the Panthers behind the eight-ball early on.

I am playing on the OVER.

Play on the Under:

The Pittsburg Steelers looking to break out of a two slump of making the playoffs by taking on an old rival in the Cleveland Browns. They will be looking for their eleventh home win against the Browns, their current streak is tied for the sixth longest active home winning streak against an opponent.  Pittsburgh has not missed the postseason in three straight years since 1998-2000.

The Browns will be under a new head coach Mile Pettine was names the fifteenth coach in team history replacing Rob Chudzinski, who lasted one year in Cleveland.

Reasons for Play:

The Browns preseason has not been good. Named starting quarterback looked dreadful and No. 1 draft pick Johnny Manziel didn’t look much better. To top it off they lost their best receiver, and arguably one of the best in the league, Josh Gordon for the season to suspension. It will be hard to replace the 1,646 receiving yards that Gordon amassed. Cleveland’s starting QB Hoyer will have to try and find a replacement for Gordon as the Browns brought in two new receivers, Andrew Hawkins and Miles Austin, during the offseason. He will have talented tight end Jordan Cameron to relieve some pressure. They also brought in a new running back free agent Ben Tate to handle rushing duties. The offense looked so bad during the preseason that many were calling for Manziel to be the starter to open the season. All these signs do not point to good things for the Browns offense.

The Steelers are slowly turning to youth on the defensive side of things. Three of their starters up front our only in their fourth year, they will also start a rookie at inside linebacker in Ryan Shazier. Cornerback Cortez Allen is another player with limited experience‚ but the defense will still have veterans Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor in the secondary and Lawrence Timmons at linebacker to lend leadership and stability. This defense must be licking their chops to get a chance at this offense.

The Steeler offense will look again to pound the ball on the ground with second year player Le’Veon Bell getting the start‚ with fellow running back LeGarrette Blunt getting his share of carries. Both were arrested in August for marijuana possession, but that will have no effect on this game.

He'll have to work hard without Gordon‚ with expected starters Andrew Hawkins and Miles Austin brought in during the offseason to help fill the void along with talented tight end Jordan Cameron.

I am playing on the UNDER because Hoyer will not only have to deal with the Steelers D and Manziel over his shoulder. But he really has no offensive weapons to count on to keep the pressure off him. The Steelers will get to him early and often and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Manziel enter this game today.

Play the Under

Play on Under 45.5 Washington vs Houston

I am playing this game under based on the 2 quarterbacks and Houston’s defense!! Plain and Simple.

 Houston’s defense is outstanding led by J.J. Watt and then they added No. 1 overall draft pick Jadeveon Clowney. Those two alone could be the most disruptive tandem who knows. RGIII, Jay Gruden, their offensive line and O-line coach and even Daniel Snyder has to be having nightmares thinking of these two let alone the rest of the defense.

Speaking of RGIII, another reason I am playing UNDER, he now wants to be known as a pocket passer. Well, that is one thing he is not. Without the threat of the run, he will not be able to live off the short passes as he first two years. Sitting the pocket will make him a sitting duck for Watt/ Clowney and company.

Houston has a new coach and quarterback. You could say the Texans have no faith in their quarterback. The made a late preseason trade for Patriot third stringer Ryan Mallet. I see new coach O’Brien establishing the run with Arian Foster and playing his first game close to the vest, relying on his defense to win this game.